Q. There have been so many disasters in one short month. I want to do my part to help, and I know that that kind of aid is a long game. This feels horrible to say: I just feel myself caring less and less. Harvey was shocking, Irma was distressing, and Maria felt … exhausting. There’s so much destruction, and it doesn’t stop. What can I do?

Gloomy and Guilty About It

A. Of course this feels awful — not just the onslaught of disasters but our guilt at not being able to respond to them as we want to, to be the person we imagine ourselves to be.

If you’re feeling this way — exhausted, indifferent, culpable — rest assured, you’re not alone. In the face of so many crises in a row, we’re all exhausted. News coverage diminished for Hurricane Maria after Irma and Harvey, but FiveThirtyEight found that the number of people seeking information on Hurricane Maria also dropped significantly after Irma, as measured by Google searches.

This may be due to “disaster fatigue,” when prolonged exposure to news coverage of disasters causes potential donors or volunteers to lose motivation. To try and understand how to fight it, we can look to its more acute cousin, “compassion fatigue,” which is exactly what it sounds like. Also called “secondary trauma syndrome,” it’s a psychological condition commonly found in caregiving and direct relief professions and characterized by withdrawal, isolation, and a sense of apathy or helplessness.

Patricia Smith, founder of the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project and a certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist (yes, that’s a thing) leads workshops with caregivers to help mitigate it. I asked her if the barrage of disasters could be inducing a kind of mass compassion fatigue.

In short, possibly. It’s not a Contagion situation, she explains: You don’t watch an on-the-ground interview on the destruction of San Juan and boom, compassion fatigue! But for people who naturally have strong feelings of empathy, the onslaught of bad news has a cumulative effect. When you place the needs of others before your own and feel obligated to rescue them, continually doing so can exhaust, deflate, and depress you.

Humans aren’t made to process an unlimited amount of trauma. In fact, we’re wired to protect ourselves against it. Smith tells me that seeing so much destruction and feeling incapable of doing anything leads to a kind of moral distress.

Nonstop coverage is how news media works in 2017 (Grist.org included), and this year has been particularly tough. Eric Blake, a meteorologist with the National Hurricane Center in Miami, has devoted his career to tracking hurricanes, including Katrina in 2005, which leveled his hometown of New Orleans. In many ways, that season paralleled this year’s, which he describes as the most intense and exhausting of his career.

The quick succession of storms, he says, means people see only the wreckage of one hurricane, and then they’re on to the next 30-foot wave. You rarely get to see that wreckage resolved. There’s nothing like being awash in all these images of destruction to crush your motivation to help.

That’s why Smith emphasizes the importance of stepping away from the news. Not entirely! But limiting exposure to the apocalyptic trifecta of internet, cable news, and social media is a way to maintain a store of productive, not guilt-inducing, empathy. Twitter, at press time, is sadder than it’s ever been. Better to read, run around the block four times, cook a stupidly elaborate pasta dish, talk to a friend — about anything except Donald Trump.

The idea, she says, is that we need to become more “self-directed” to help others. Which brings us to the Irma-sized elephant in the room: Self-care, especially when we’re talking about helping disaster relief victims who have lost everything, can seem indulgent in the face of actual, real-time climate disasters. There is enormous privilege, of course, even in the option to prioritize a regular jog.

But Smith insists that helps you to process so much bad, which is important if you’re inclined to help. When I first wrote about hurricane relief, I noted that it’s a long commitment — you can’t sustain it through a depressed fog.

Laura Moser is taking the truly long-game approach to hurricane resiliency. A former journalist, she moved home to Houston from Washington, D.C., to run for the House of Representatives after Trump’s inauguration. A couple of months later, Harvey hit, and she’s now trying to figure out how to rebuild her city while coverage of its destruction, not to mention volunteers and donation efforts, has evaporated.

Moser is no stranger to the slow death of enthusiasm. She’s seen it with the app she developed after Trump’s inauguration, Daily Action, which translated horrific news of the day into measurable steps: write your congressman, sign this petition, donate to this fundraiser.

The service had 250,000 signups when it first launched, but the registration has tapered off (although updates continue). “It’s hard to keep the same level of indignation to sustain that,” Moser says. She calls it — yet another way to be tired — resistance fatigue.

Moser organized on-the-ground relief efforts in the days after Harvey hit to provide household supplies to families in need. But donations have dwindled, including hers. “I’ve slashed my own personal contributions,” she says. “I ran out of the money I could spend. I’m just still trying to do what I can when I can.”

But she’s recommitted to helping Houston recover on a systemic level. “I want to win more than ever after Harvey, because I see what happens when you don’t regulate.” Moser says. She’s referring to the type of infrastructure and development that made Houston uniquely vulnerable to hurricanes, or the health care legislation that will further hinder Houstonians’ ability to recover from them, for example. “That gives me a new sense of purpose.”

I ask her what she’s doing to take care of herself and maintain that energy, and she notes that she has no time to bury herself in news, which helps. She pauses. “And it sounds really silly, but I make myself go to Pilates class.”

As silly as it might sound, a restricted media diet and weird, dumb stretches that don’t make any sense bolster your ability to act. And when you do act, try looking to what you can do that will alter some little segment of the future, so that you don’t drown in the overwhelming present. What action can you take now (or soon, at least after this Jane Fonda tape) to help people deal with major calamities to come? How can you use the things you’re already good at, delve into the causes you already care about, to improve a community’s ability to survive the next storm?

You won’t be the superhero who saves the world from the next hurricane. But you can do your one thing, and you have to be able to do it well — which means that this is your last piece of disaster content for the day. Seriously. Click away. Bye!

]]>https://grist.org/article/after-the-disaster-comes-disaster-fatigue-heres-how-to-fight-it/feed/5Hands Puerto RicoNot enough states are taking climate action. Time to make some calls!https://grist.org/briefly/not-enough-states-are-taking-climate-action-time-to-make-some-calls/
Thu, 21 Sep 2017 21:24:36 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=news-brief&p=377198It’s Climate Week in New York!!! A host of CEOs and government officials — including Washington Governor Jay Inslee, New York’s Andrew Cuomo, and California’s Jerry Brown — have descended on New York City to discuss what the United States can do to compensate for the federal lack of action on climate change.

The U.S. Climate Alliance, a coalition of businesses and 14 states plus Puerto Rico, is still on track to make important reductions in keeping with the Paris Agreement. However, despite major commitments from states such as California and New York, it looks like we aren’t going to meet the national reductions promised by the agreement, reports Bloomberg News.

The U.S. is on track to reduce emissions by 15–19 percent by 2025. The goal was 26–28 percent.

But it’s not too late for more states to join in on the fun! Pennsylvania is the third-largest emitter of CO2 in the national energy sector, so I called Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania to ask him if he’d sign on to the U.S. Climate Alliance. He said, “OF COURSE! Why didn’t you ask before?”

At the moment, it’s undocumented residents who, flushed from their homes, now fear deportation for simply seeking assistance at a shelter against a political backdrop that seems more and more anti-immigrant. Texas is currently in the throes of debate over an anti-sanctuary city bill, SB4. Meanwhile, eyes are on D.C. for Trump’s verdict on the fate of the Obama-era DACA immigration program.

“There’s constant fear,” said Armando Walle, a Democratic Texas state rep from Houston, on a press call. “It was a storm that was equally destructive across all communities and incomes, but it disproportionately affects the Latino community and Latino undocumented community, who are fearful of seeking services or refuge.”

As the city rebuilds, other communities could feel similarly left out, as aid money starts to be distributed and authorities decide what projects to tackle first. You, a good person, want to help make rebuilding post-Harvey more equitable. That’s a little more complicated than sending a couple hundred bucks to an organization of your choice right now — which is, make no mistake, a valuable and much-appreciated contribution! But, especially when it comes to the rebuilding of already-marginalized communities, it requires some commitment in the form of light research over the coming months, as post-disaster needs evolve.

For the commitment-averse (me too, it’s fine) here’s disaster donating 101: Cash is more effective than material goods. If you already have organizations that you trust and are doing Harvey relief work, good — keep giving to them. If you don’t: Research organizations on Charity Navigator and give to those that have high ratings (three or four stars). The site has a list of charitable institutions involved in Harvey relief — but it notes that it’s not certain at this point what portion of your donation will go specifically to help Harvey victims. Also, maybe don’t donate to the American Red Cross.

The vast majority of donations tend to peak around four days from when a disaster first hits. A full 73 percent of disaster-directed philanthropic funds go to immediate relief. And that’s a big problem, says Regine Webster, vice president of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

The tangled consequences of natural disasters – lack of long-term housing solutions, loss of early childhood care, and uptick in mental health needs, domestic violence, and substance abuse – tend to hit a crescendo between six and 12 months after a disaster, Webster explains.

“Long-term recovery dollars, from a philanthropic perspective, are just desperately needed,” she says. “They complement what governmental dollars can do and support in a way that yields better recovery.”

So how to find the right destination for your commitment? Many of the entities doing necessary work toward long-term recovery are already in place. They are social services organizations that have been serving Texas communities for years and are best equipped to know how to serve them: neighborhood centers, faith-based organizations, local health clinics.

“People on the ground that know the needs of the community are able to respond to those needs [quickly],” explains Ángela-Jo Touza-Medina, executive director of the YWCA Greater Austin and chair of the Immigrant Services Network of Austin. Texas’ capital is set to receive up to 7,000 Harvey evacuees, Touza-Medina tells me, and her organization is already setting up free crisis counseling and mental healthcare for its victims.

But how to ensure that they are serving the communities most in need — i.e., ones that needed help before Harvey and could use your support even more now?

Touza-Medina recommends looking at grassroots organizations: “just because they’re going out there trying to get the work done.” However, she adds a warning: “They often don’t have infrastructure or experience in a way to do it that’s effective. It’s kind of a catch-22.”

But as an initial screen, she recommends organizations that specifically declare that they do not exclude individuals on race, class, immigration status, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation from their services.

Now, back to that whole “commitment” thing. The most valuable donations, according to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s Webster, are recurring ones since they’ll continually help a organization with its work. But for how long?

THINKING BIGGER: If you’re thinking really long-term climate adaptation, support the campaigns of state-level and local representatives that prioritize the health and safety of marginalized communities over, say, Big Oil. Seriously.

Correction: An earlier version of this story included a different estimate of the number of Hurricane Harvey evacuees that the city of Austin will receive.

]]>https://grist.org/article/helping-hurricane-harvey-victims-is-a-long-game-heres-where-to-start/feed/5Harvey in West TexasWhat you can do if that scary New York mag climate article drove you to act.https://grist.org/briefly/so-a-certain-climate-article-opened-a-cloud-of-gloom-and-doom-over-your-head/
Tue, 11 Jul 2017 19:32:02 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=news-brief&p=372544This week’s cover story by David Wallace-Wells is pretty bleak. As he told Grist contributor Eric Holthaus, the author hopes that sharing the worst-case scenarios might motivate readers to do something about the climate crisis — despite science showing that existential dread is not a particularly good motivator.

But if you do happen to be one of those rare birds who is motivated by sheer terror, and if you’re wondering what you can do despite feeling that you’re just a drop in a (rapidly warming) bucket — we’ve all been there — then take some advice from Grist’s helpful and hopeful Ask Umbra Apathy Detox.

Because here’s the thing: The world’s not going to change unless someone’s there to change it, and you might just be the drop we need. Here’s how you can turn your freak-out into action:

However, with the help of Grist’s friendly neighborhood advice columnist (hey, that’s me!), you can declare independence from trashing the planet with an ease that would make your foremothers proud. Wake up tomorrow with a little less guilt (and a very patriotic hangover):

The Fourth of July can get pretty smoky with all the barbecues and bonfires, so consider festive yet greener alternatives like stargazing parties or even glow-in-the-dark dances.

It’s 2017, people! The Fourth of July need not be a meaty affair. However, if you do eat meat, get your steaks and ribs from local ranches and butchers. You could even go for less appreciated cuts if you’re feeling audacious, like chitterlings or gizzard. Nothing more festive than a locally sourced barbecued liver, am I right?

Perhaps Trump’s anti-science cabinet has you feeling … less than patriotic. I get it. That’s why I made a guide to get you shaking off your apathy and kickstarting your thirst for justice. Today: the community fireworks display. Tomorrow: the emotional fireworks of bettering the world through community engagement!

]]>4th of july partyAn idea: Get a supermodel to tweet some climate policy at Trump.https://grist.org/briefly/an-idea-get-a-supermodel-to-tweet-some-climate-policy-at-trump/
Wed, 21 Jun 2017 19:07:40 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=news-brief&p=371116I mean, it worked in Brazil, where Gisele Bündchen — supermodel, World Wildlife Federation representative, and behind-the-scenes shaper of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s political consciousness — tweeted at Brazilian President Michel Temer:

Bündchen’s tweet concerns legislation that would have removed protection from some parts of the Amazon rainforest. Temer’s administration has been remarkably anti-conservation, threatening indigenous lands in favor of new agricultural, mineral extraction, and hydroelectric developments.

]]>Model Texting TrumpNew York’s new climate program includes making friends — seriously. Here’s why.https://grist.org/briefly/new-yorks-new-climate-program-includes-making-friends-seriously-heres-why/
Fri, 16 Jun 2017 19:44:55 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=news-brief&p=370824This week, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office announced a new initiative to combat climate change–augmented extreme heat in the city. It comes down to: Plant a tree! Make a pal! Those are actually not bad ideas.

The $106 million package — dubbed Cool Neighborhoods NYC, which, yikes — will largely go to tree-planting across more heatwave-endangered communities in the South Bronx, Northern Manhattan, and Central Brooklyn. Funding will also further develop the unpronounceable NYC °CoolRoofs program, which aims to cover 2.7 million square feet of city roofs with foliage.

But, to me, the more noteworthy component of the plan is Be A Buddy NYC — again, yikes — which “promotes community cohesion” as a means of climate resilience.

“A heat emergency is not the time to identify vulnerable residents,” explains the Mayor’s Office’s report. “Rather, it is important to build social networks that can help share life-saving information prior to such an emergency, and can reach out to at-risk neighbors during an extreme heat event.”

]]>New York skyline on a sunny afternoonHow can I support the Paris Agreement?https://grist.org/article/how-can-i-support-the-paris-agreement/
https://grist.org/article/how-can-i-support-the-paris-agreement/#commentsFri, 09 Jun 2017 22:15:47 +0000http://grist.org/?p=370425

Q. Is there a way that we, as individual Americans, can still follow the Paris climate agreement, now that the Trump administration has decided to pull the United States out of the international deal to fight climate change?

Meredith D. via Twitter [edited for clarity]

A. Like so many Americans, you’re suddenly paying a lot more attention to what’s going in the scintillating field of international climate diplomacy.

So let’s do a little refresher. The Paris climate treaty is an international agreement to limit warming through voluntary goals. It’s ostensibly a giant good-faith handshake to fight climate change. And last week, President Trump joined a very tiny and swag club consisting of Syria and Nicaragua in saying, “No thank you! Let go of my hand!” The Paris Agreement is a pretty lax approach to climate diplomacy, so dropping out is an embarrassing move to make.

Whew! Technically, the United States doesn’t have to be part of the Paris Agreement to achieve its goal — cutting 2005-era carbon emissions by 28 percent by 2025. So let’s get to it. There are some obvious steps you could take to shrink your carbon impact as one little Meredith: eat less meat, take the bus, stop lighting garbage piles on fire for fun.

But those can only go so far. If we took the individual action route, everyone would have to shrink their carbon footprint by 70 percent, according to climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe — and in these trying times, who can remove the joy of burning garbage piles from one’s life? The better bet is to push for local, state, and — yes — national legislation that will push for cleaner energy and tackle carbon emissions.

How do you do that? It sounds like a Big Abstract Thing. I talked to some local political organizers and climate scientists and it basically comes down to: If you want climate action, let your elected officials know about it — and get a bunch of other people to do that, too.

Sara Innamorato is the cofounder of She Runs SWPA, which encourages women to run for local office. (She’s just announced that she’s challenging the incumbent Democratic state representative in Pennsylvania’s District 21.) She says the first step is just knowing who your representatives are at the local and state level — and where they stand on policies that affect the environment and climate. For example: The League of Conservation Voters tracks votes in the Pennsylvania state house that deal with the environment and public health — and they’re not, Innamorato notes, always along party lines, so it’s important to know who’s voting for what.

They do — you hire them, after all. Have you heard of the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus? It’s a 40-member climate legislation–supporting coalition in the U.S. House of Representatives that’s evenly split between Republican and Democratic members. Its existence is a product of the Citizens Climate Lobby, which contains 360 local chapters of volunteers pushing for climate action around the country.

“Most of the Republicans on that caucus are there because they had constituents — most of whom are our volunteers — asking them to join it,” says Steve Valk, director of communications for the Citizens Climate Lobby. “I’d encourage people to develop that relationship with their representatives and senators. And one of the best ways to do that is get involved with an organization that’s providing support for citizens to take that kind of action.”

There’s plenty of voter support for climate action, regardless of political affiliation. A Reuters poll from just this week found that 72 percent of Americans want aggressive action on climate change. Politicians just don’t think we care enough that they’d lose their jobs over it. Which suggests we should probably be talking more about it.

Climate scientist Kate Marvel agrees: “Engaging people who might be skeptical or just don’t care — and emphasizing that climate change affects people, not just polar bears — are all great steps. This doesn’t have to be a partisan issue!”

Brett Cease, an organizer with the Citizens Climate Lobby, reiterated that one of the organization’s primary goals right now is educating and engaging citizens of “all backgrounds and ideologies.”

Wait … one second … do you need to know how to talk casually with friends, family, acquaintances, and unsuspecting bartenders about climate change? What if someone gave you excellent tips on how to do that in a way that’s not really uncomfortable and weird? (I did. It’s here.)

Trump’s decision is essentially terrible optics: It signals to the rest of the world that we couldn’t care less about climate change, completely removes our opportunity to be a leader on the issue, and kills a lot of hope of fast federal action on climate change.

But — kind of like the Trump election — it has a chance to motivate regular people to push for the kind of shifts that could actually lead to a 28 percent reduction in emissions. We’re already seeing this with the U.S. Climate Alliance, a coalition of states, cities, and companies that have vowed to commit to the Paris goals.

And the good news is if you’ve been following the Apathy Detox — and if you haven’t, I’m sorry, what’s wrong with you, it’s very easy — you’re already doing exactly what you’re supposed to do to uphold the Paris Agreement!

Psst — looking for even more specific ideas on how to fight for cleaner energy in your state? Have we got a video for you:

]]>https://grist.org/article/how-can-i-support-the-paris-agreement/feed/3Wish you were hereExxonMobil can’t ignore climate change — because it’s bad business.https://grist.org/briefly/exxonmobil-cant-ignore-climate-change-because-its-bad-business/
Wed, 31 May 2017 20:50:55 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=news-brief&p=369635It’s a bizarre world where massive financial institutions and oil companies offer more hope for climate action than the president, but that’s where we are — welcome!

On Wednesday, a (very tame) uprising broke out at the ExxonMobil shareholders meeting in Dallas. A majority — 62 percent — of the company’s investor institutions voted for Exxon to examine how climate policies and changing consumer behavior will affect its assets. The resolution called for a comprehensive annual report on climate and its business. ExxonMobil’s leading shareholders are the investment management companies BlackRock and Vanguard, which collectively control over $9 trillion of the world’s assets.

The shareholders’ resolution doesn’t vibe, to put it lightly, with ExxonMobil’s management. Last year, according to The Guardian, only 38 percent of shareholders supported the same resolution.

New York Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, representing the New York Common Retirement Fund (an ExxonMobil shareholder), said in a statement: “Climate change is one of the greatest long-term risks we face in our portfolio and has direct impact on the core business of ExxonMobil. The burden is now on ExxonMobil to respond swiftly and demonstrate that it takes shareholder concerns about climate risk seriously.”

Psst — if you want to get your own financial institutions to divest from fossil fuel companies, here’s a good start.

]]>Exxon Mobil SignHow to chill with your elected rep and talk a li’l climate policy.https://grist.org/briefly/how-to-chill-with-your-elected-rep-and-talk-a-lil-climate-policy/
Fri, 12 May 2017 19:34:22 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=news-brief&p=368636Remember when I told you how to get comfortable harassing conversing civilly with your elected officials? Well, Camila Thorndike — a Grist 50 2017 honoree — did it and put it on camera. Watch her make the case for carbon pricing:

Thorndike and her colleague Tom Erb from the Put A Price On It Campaign (in partnership with The Years of Living Dangerously) visited Oregon Rep. Knute Buehler, a Republican, and Sen. Chris Edwards, a Democrat.

And they use lots of Umbra-approved methods: Find ways to relate on what’s important! Be chill, friendly, and direct! Don’t frame your issue in partisan terms! Wear a pantsuit! (I never said to wear a pantsuit.)

When I talked to Thorndike in January, she told me that her larger goal with the Put A Price On It campaign is “to empower our generation to be fully active participants and protectors of our democracy, to realize that the future is what we make it.” I think she’s onto something.

]]>putapriceonit_talktoofficialsBuy a good pair of sneakers — you’ll need them to run for officehttps://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/hey-politically-active-community-builder-run-for-office/
Sun, 07 May 2017 10:00:39 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366542Maybe Leslie Knope knew right from the start that she would one day serve as Indiana’s governor. But a lot of people working in real-world government had no idea they would end up where they are today.

Like, for example, Ritchie Torres, a 29-year-old member of the New York City Council (and member of this year’s Grist 50). “I had a mentor who had enormous confidence in me, encouraged me to run, and when I did, I discovered a talent I never thought I had,” he says.

That’s because the paths to public service are often more convoluted than fictional television might lead you to believe. And if we had more real-life examples of young politicians, we might be able to finally retire the Leslie Knope Trope that haunts so many bright-eyed, bushy-tailed new public officials.

So, while you’re contemplating a run for county commissioner or school board president, take this advice straight from the mouths of actual young politicians around the country.

Consider your skills and your community’s needs

Don’t run for office just for the sake of running for office, says Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, 28, the youngest member of the Alaska House of Representatives. If you’ve got a bunch of good, young people already serving in local leadership, stop right there! Your community’s in good hands, so your energy is better spent on other endeavors.

But if you’re dissatisfied with local leadership and have skills that could contribute, “then running for office starts to make a lot more sense,” Kreiss-Tomkins says.

Don’t think you look like a politician? Think again.

The less you resemble America’s founding fathers, the more we need you in government. “We’re all owners of our democracy, and it belongs to all of us,” says Jessyn Farrell, a member of the Washington House of Representatives.

Those who seek and hold office are overwhelmingly white and male, according to Pew Research. If you are a woman or a person of color, considering running for office. Farrell suggests finding a mentor in politics who looks like you.

We need more young leaders in office, too. “A lot of small towns and local governments are ran by retired people or people in their 50s or 60s,” Hank Dugie points out. Dugie, 27, is a city council member in League City, Texas, and serves on the board for the Galveston County Republican Party. “It really does help to have people with a little bit different worldview,” he says.

As Jon Hoadley, a Democrat in Michigan’s House of Representatives, points out: “The decisions that are made today are going to impact the next 50, 60, 70 years of our lives.”

Figure out what you stand for

No one’s going to vote for you just because you have a pretty face. (OK — it can’t hurt, especially in Canada.) “Voters are hungry to know what you’re going to do,” Hoadley says. “And you have to be ready to tell people who you are, what you believe in, and how you’re going to change what’s happening now to make our lives better.”

Knowing your priorities is critical for when you get into office, too. “People need to be really clear about their values from the get-go, because in politics, you get pushed,” Farrell says.

Buy a good pair of walking shoes

There’s a reason it’s called “running” for office. “You gotta go knock on a lot of doors,” Hoadley says. “Campaigns are won or lost based on your ability to develop genuine relationships with the people you’re striving to represent.”

Kreiss-Tompkins agrees. “Before considering whether to run, I would recommend deep community involvement. Knowing the people you’re going to represent and being involved in the community in sincere and meaningful ways is hugely important.”

Sound familiar? Becoming a meaningful member of your community is what this 21-Day Apathy Detox was all about. So whether or not you end up running for office, take those toned civic muscles you’ve built and get out there!

You made it! Any questions we didn’t cover in this action guide still burning a hole through you? Ask Umbra here. And thanks for reading! We’d love your feedback on Umbra’s new direction — and what kind of advice you’d like in the future.

]]>Umbra 5-7Art brings life to social movements. Let it draw on your support.https://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/art-brings-life-to-social-movements-let-it-draw-on-your-support/
Sat, 06 May 2017 10:00:03 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366548If your idea of “supporting the arts” is buying popcorn and a ticket to the new Fast & Furious, well, supporting the arts might seem frivolous right now. After all, there are pipelines to fight! Labor laws to uphold! Reproductive rights to protect!

But when you read bad news day after day, you can become desensitized — or lose hope. That’s exactly why the arts are so crucial, and why there’s been an upwelling of political art since the November election.

“Artists who occupy marginalized social positions can use their art to challenge structures of power in ways that would otherwise be dangerous or impossible,” sociologist Eve L. Ewing wrote recently in the New York Times. Hey, is that why the Trump administration floated gutting the budget of the National Endowment for the Arts?

In times like these, artists need your support. Here’s what you can do.

Show your appreciation.

It’s as simple as attending a community art walk or a slam poetry event. Artists are actually great organizers because of the way they bring together people from different walks of life, says Kendra Ross, a singer-songwriter and PhD student in community engagement. “You catalyze important conversations and collaborations that might not otherwise happen.”

Share artwork on social media.

A little promotion can go a long way to help spread an artist’s message, says Victoria McCullough, social impact and public policy manager at Tumblr.

Ross says she wasn’t involved in the Standing Rock fight until she saw some captivating prints on Instagram last year that stopped her in her tracks. “It was just something about the art that drew me into the story, into the conversation, and made me go deeper,” she says.

Make room for artists in your community.

If you’re a visual artist, dancer, or musician, you need a place to do your job. Know of a space that’s used at night but empty during the day, or vice versa? Get in contact with local artists or arts organizations that might be interested.

Pay artists for their services.

If you’ve got cash to spare, buy some artwork from a local artist who you admire, or attend one of their performances.

To go further, donate to an arts organization that does great things — for example, Alternate ROOTS is a group of artists and cultural organizers in the South who use the arts to build up communities and dismantle all forms of oppression.

Destroy assumptions that art isn’t a real job.

“People think of artists almost as unicorns, right?” says Kendra Ross. “Like: ‘This is so amazing that you can make this, I can’t believe your mind can go there.’

“Know that we serve a really important purpose in society, and if you want that to go on, you’ve got to support that in the same way you pay your taxes so that your rubbish gets picked up.” Yep — even unicorns gotta eat.

]]>Umbra 5-6 support the artsYour next bar conversation is about climate change. Here’s how to do it.https://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/your-next-bar-conversation-is-about-climate-change-heres-how-to-do-it/
Fri, 05 May 2017 10:00:39 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366554If you can’t discuss what you care about with people who might disagree with you, then what’s the point? Seriously! What are you going to do? Just holler about your opinions in your own brain?

When I spoke with James Hamblin, internet doctor and Atlantic editor, he said something that stuck with me: “Face-to-face engagement is even better if you’re not just kvetching and patting each other on the back for how woke you both are, and you all already agree about everything, and you’re just so beset, and, OK, let’s have another drink.”

Which brings us to: How To Talk About Important Issues At The Bar, But Not In A Kvetching And/Or Self-Congratulatory Way, For Democracy.

But, annoyingly enough, those brands are onto something. I spoke with Aditi Juneja, cocreator of the Resistance Manual, and asked her how important it is to be able to chat about climate change at the bar. Extremely, as it turns out: “The basis of democracy is self-governance, and that requires citizens to engage with one another,” she says.

Here are tips for having a productive conversation about something you care about over drinks (obviously these tips work sober, too, but they become even more important when spicy margs are involved).

Assume the best

Yes, this can be difficult — especially when dealing with a science denier or someone with a Beavis & Butthead tattoo. But in times such as these, we’ve got to err on the positive side. “Be generous,” Juneja says, “because people can disagree with you and still be good people.”

Be well-informed

A lot of hesitance around bringing up serious subjects in a casual setting, Juneja explains, can be tied back to not being confident in the subjects themselves. That’s why she created the Resistance Manual — so that people could get policy background and history behind the issues they care about on one centralized, searchable platform.

But you don’t have to have every statistic memorized

As depressing as it may be, Jacquelyn Gill, an ecologist at the University of Maine, says that “combating misinformation with more facts doesn’t work.” A convincing conversation doesn’t require citing the IPCC or the latest peer-reviewed research — it has to do with reaching people on a personal level by appealing to the things they already care about. (The “story over facts” approach has been reiterated in most advice about public messaging around climate change, too.)

In fact, be a little shallow

Bad approach to relationships, good approach to climate conversations, as it turns out. John Upton, a Climate Central journalist who actually “hates talking about climate change outside of work,” says that you’re not going to engage people in serious things by portraying them as enormous existential threats (even if they are). Rather: “Boy, it sure is flooding more than usual! There are lifeforms I’ve never conceived of taking up residence in my basement!”

Read your audience

Not in a pickup artist, Tucker Max way — I mean actually listening to what the person you’re speaking with cares about. If they don’t care about animals, don’t talk about starving seals.

Again: Stop complaining!

Oh, right — that’s what “kvetch” means. A bitchfest can be good for analyzing your friend Tracy’s serially cheating boyfriend, but when it comes to larger, systemic issues, it can actually just make you feel worse. “In a democracy, no one is coming to save you,” says Juneja. “You’re saving yourself. You stop complaining when you realize that you’re the one who has to do something.”

]]>Umbra 5-5 talk climate at the barYou don’t have to take climate change lying down.https://grist.org/briefly/you-dont-have-to-take-climate-change-lying-down/
Thu, 04 May 2017 21:20:15 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=news-brief&p=368095Are you familiar with the famous Seligman experiment on learned helplessness? To summarize: Researchers gave random shocks to dogs, which — with no way to control the shocks — quickly learned to lie down and cry.

A new study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied posits that we’re the dogs, and constant, terrifying stories about climate change are the shocks — and that’s why we’re not changing our personal behavior enough. We’re suffering from learned helplessness in the face of something with enormous implications for both future and current humans on the planet.

The authors argue that because those implications are hard to fathom on a moral level — for most people, there’s no immediate association between driving less and the displacement of a Pacific Islander — it’s even less likely that people will take action to prevent climate change.

But here’s where it gets interesting: The authors found a correlation between seeing climate change as a moral issue and personal motivation to undertake carbon- and energy-saving behavior. Additionally, when subjects were told that such behaviors were highly effective in addressing climate change, they were more inclined to do them. A counterpart group told that their actions made no difference on climate change actually undertook more harmful habits.

When it comes to where you make your home, walkable cities are the greenest option: Small spaces encourage fewer belongings, short distances and public transit options mean less driving, and being surrounded by so many humans all the time means you never even need central heating! Body heat, baby! (But seriously — smaller spaces are much more energy-efficient than McMansions.)

But, in cities from New York to San Francisco, walkable urban areas are in high demand, pushing out low-income families.

If we want cities to be more than havens for white, wealthy spirulina addicts, we have to advocate for affordable housing. Why does affordable housing matter for the planet — or even, as the coldest spirulina addict might wonder, matter at all?

OK. Let’s break it down:

Gentrification puts a serious health and financial burden on low-income families … The cost of housing pushes low-income people to parts of the city that require them to drive and are still relatively unaffordable. This creates enormous financial strain and all its attendant health problems, points out David Owen, author of Green Metropolis.

… changes the nature of cities … Meeting people who aren’t like you is a key strength of cities. The influx of people from both the countryside and other countries brings many, many people with distinct experiences and ideas and pants, even, to the same patch of square footage. That means that you have to engage with some things that might make you uncomfortable, which — as we’ve discussed — is a pretty crucial part of political engagement!

… and stifles movements. If you’re pushing for sustainability in your neighborhood, you need allies — and those allies should represent a lot of different income brackets, beliefs, and experiences. As Alex Dodds of Smart Growth America puts it: Access to affordable housing “impacts who you’re even able to form partnerships with, because if people are getting priced out of your neighborhood, they’re not going to be there to help make your neighborhood better.”

Plus, affordable housing tends to be much greener. Cities are the future of new development, and new buildings are a significant contributor to carbon emissions. Affordable housing has the most potential to be built according to green guidelines — i.e., more energy-efficient, water-saving, and with more carbon-conservative materials, says Jonathan Rose, a green building developer and author of The Well-Tempered City. Why? Affordable housing developments have to fulfill more stringent building regulations and financing requirements.

Good — you’re on board! How do you get involved?

An equitable and sustainable Rome wasn’t built in a day, because it never existed! Fortunately, you do not live in Ancient Rome, so here are some stepping stones to getting involved in your local affordable housing policy.

Know the national issues that affect affordable housing. Yes, we need to talk about Ben Carson — but moreso the American tax code. COME BACK! The low-income housing tax credit is the federal program that funds the vast majority of affordable housing in this country, and it’s a function of corporate tax requirements. That means that the Trump administration’s tax plan has serious ramifications for future affordable housing construction on a national level.

Live in a gentrifying neighborhood? Find your local policy and advocacy organization for housing, and figure out what you can most effectively do to help. Learn its legislative priorities and the biggest stumbling blocks to affordable housing in your neighborhood. (The National Low Income Housing Coalition has a list of state partners who could then direct you to local organizations.)

To help make sure city, county, or state funds are directed toward affordable housing, you have to show up to community planning meetings and make yourself known there. Make relationships in your municipality’s planning commission.

And if you’re looking for specific legislation to rally around, look out for proposed housing levies. That’s typically a ballot measure that adds a property tax requirement to offset the cost of producing affordable housing. “It’s one of the most impactful ways that folks can take action locally to try and promote affordable housing,” according to Marty Kooistra, executive director of Seattle’s Housing Development Consortium.

]]>Umbra 5-4Do you really need that? No, you don’t.https://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/quit-buying-crap-you-dont-need/
Wed, 03 May 2017 10:00:58 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366561Every dumb thing you own required some ghastly combination of fossil fuels, water, and marketing misanthropy to find its way into your home. Sure, you’re not about to fashion an iPhone out of foraged twigs, but you can put an end to impulse shopping.

Impulse purchases rarely have to do with actual needs — they’re often just an emotional coping mechanism. Who among us has not tried to push away thoughts of inevitable demise with a pair of wedge moccasins that you’ve never worn in five years, not once?

Quitting that nonsense is better for your emotional health, credit card bill, the KonMari balance of your closet, and the war against the capitalist machine.

Fun habits die hard, even expensive ones! But, like us, they do have to die, so I got on the phone with a psychologist — not my own! — to get some advice. April Lane Benson specializes in the treatment of shopping addiction.

Ask yourself these six questions: Why am I here? How do I feel? Do I need this? How will I pay for it? Where will I put it? What if I wait?

Wait: What if you do put off the purchase? I don’t know — try it! After 24 hours, see if you still want That Thing.

Be cart aware: The internet enables impulse shopping because you feel removed from the whole process. You see something pretty, you want it, you throw it in your “cart” that you never touch or see, and you use a credit card that you’ve saved in your browser so you don’t have to actually touch your wallet. It’s really like the purchase doesn’t even happen! Easy solution: Don’t save your credit card information online.

Carry cash: As much as you can, carry actual money if you’re going somewhere that might be an impulse-shopping danger zone. Maybe it rhymes with “Bephora.” Maybe it’s “Perms and Worms.” Maybe it’s that one insane Target aisle where they keep 30 different kinds of fancy straws. We’re not here to judge! But the more transactions you make with cash, the more aware you are of the actual cost of your purchasing habits.

The primary takeaway: Trying to meet your emotional needs with overconsumption ensures, after all, that your needs remain unmet. A fringed bolero doesn’t return your calls when you’re down, doesn’t bring you Tylenol PM and soup when you have a cold — and if we’re being entirely honest, it doesn’t even look that good on you.

]]>Umbra 5-3 give up impulse buysThe EPA’s out of the climate-science business. Here’s how to keep up.https://grist.org/briefly/the-epas-out-of-the-climate-science-business-heres-how-to-keep-up/
Tue, 02 May 2017 20:19:03 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=news-brief&p=367864This weekend, the EPA issued a sizable middle finger to the hundreds of thousands of people who turned out for the People’s Climate March on Saturday by erasing pages of climate info from its website. Late on Friday, the agency announced that they would be replaced with content that “reflect the views of the leadership of the agency.”

Sea-level rise and temperature change are probably issues you consider as settled as, say, the multiplication tables. But this is the administration we’ve been dealt! Once you delete that EPA bookmark from your browser (which we all have, of course), here are a few good resources to call upon going forward. You can’t be the only person who’s never heard of ocean acidification at your next vegan-noodle dinner party.

We’ve ranked them from Saltine-Cracker-In-A-Drought Dry to Get-That-Jellyfish-Outta-My-Foyer Fun:

]]>EPA SiteElected officials are supposed to listen to us. Make them.https://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/elected-officials-are-supposed-to-listen-to-us-make-them/
Tue, 02 May 2017 10:00:49 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366567The big hitch in representative democracy is that it’s sometimes hard to get your elected reps to do what you want them to do.

Recently, for instance, a lot of Republican officials have been dinged for refusing to hold in-person town meetings, or for ignoring their constituents’ concerns (like climate change) when they do. Sometimes they won’t even answer questions from 10-year-olds who just want to know if they believe in science.

In Pennsylvania, residents formed a “Tuesdays with Toomey” group that waits outside the Philadelphia office of U.S. Senator Pat Toomey every week, hoping for a word. Instead, they’ve been arrested. Vashti Bandi, a “Tuesdays” organizer, says that government reps are apparently, like snakes, more scared of you than you are of them.

Face time is important

More than half the battle — be it a town hall or a visit to your rep’s office — is literally just showing up. Find their office hours or next town hall by visiting their website. (Psst — Town Hall Project aggregates them nationally.) There’s also strength in numbers (but, when it comes to office visits, not too many numbers — you want action, not chaos), so bring a few other riled-up friends.

Pick and research your issues

Brett Hamil, a political commentator and satirist in Seattle known for his creative pursuits of reticent local officials, says the system is “designed just to obfuscate and bore you and render you apathetic and confused.” Best way to get away from that, according to Hamil? Figure out a couple of issues you really care about and follow them with all the attention and fervor you devote to tracking Shake Shack openings in your area.

You want a specific message or question

As Bandy advises, “Why are you such a d***?” is not a particularly productive question. Instead: “How do you feel about X bill? Where do you stand on that?” If you have a personal story to relate to the bill or issue — i.e., how it would affect the life of someone you care about — all the better.

Bring evidence

Worried about police brutality? Environmental contamination? If you see it, you probably have a way to record it. (Your phone. We’re talking about your phone.) “It’s so crucial to get this stuff in consumable form so someone can retweet or post or send in an email to elected officials — just to be their eyes and ears,” explains Hamil. That recording can end up going a long way when it gets other people involved or gets politicians’ attention.

Speak up

Too nervous to say anything at a town hall? Just take cues from the people already there. “See the way regulars treat the proceedings — and then, the next time, they have to pretend you’re a regular,” advises Sonja Trauss, a San Francisco activist and founder of the SF Bay Area Renters’ Federation (SFBARF). “It’ll be way more accessible.”

There’s a not-insignificant chance that you’ll find a representative meeting or town hall discouraging. Again, elected officials often hate doing what you ask them to do! But the plus side of bringing friends with you — really, do that — is that you can all go out for margs afterward and yell about it.

]]>Umbra 5-2 bug your elected repConvince your friends (and your own belly) to crave less meathttps://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/convince-your-friends-and-your-own-belly-to-crave-less-meat/
Mon, 01 May 2017 10:00:32 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366413Changing your diet is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce your carbon impact. And … you’re running away! No one poised to select “bacon double cheeseburger” on Seamless is thrilled to give it up (and no one wants to hear the words “carbon impact” when ordering dinner, either).

The whole idea of “civic change” is to get people to change their habits in ways that better society as a whole. Eliminating meat altogether isn’t for everyone, but it’s actually incredibly easy to eat less of it — which you’re about to demonstrate. And — civic bonus! — you’ll be bringing your friends along, too.

Start small: Set rules you can swallow

The phrase “Meatless Monday” is rivaled only in awfulness by “Taco Tuesday,” or any other term relating days of the week and food. However, the reasoning behind it is sound: Give yourself one day a week where you don’t eat meat. Or take it further by indulging only on the weekends, or pull a Bittman by going vegan during daylight hours.

This is also a good way to avoid getting caught up in labels like vegetarian or vegan, advises Chloe Coscarelli. Coscarelli is the first vegan chef to ever win a reality-TV cooking show (it was Cupcake Wars).

But when it comes to diet reform: “I don’t feel like it’s an all-or-nothing effort,” she says. The imperfect vegans of the world agree.

Switch the meat for something else

If you’re a voracious meat-eater, you’re the target audience here. “I think of my parents, who eat probably 275 pounds of meat a year,” Kateman says. “If I get them to cut back 10 or 20 percent and swap that with plant-based meals, that’s going to be 40 or 50 pounds, right?” For reference, it takes a whopping 2,000 gallons of water to grow one pound of beef.

So next time you order a burrito, get refried beans instead of beef. Our aquifers thank you in advance.

Cook meat-free food people want to eat

Any good addict knows that the best way to develop a habit is to find friends who will enable you!

“I think there’s a lot of love and creativity in vegan food,” Coscarelli says. “It’s usually something that’s been put together with so much care by whoever created it.”

Between you and me:

Let’s just keep it our little secret that a worldwide switch to vegetarianism would cut food-related carbon emissions by nearly two-thirds. Unless you want a bowl of quinoa salad dumped on your head.

If you want something easy to lure in your salad-hesitant friends, Coscarelli says that vegan noodle dishes are a great place to start. Even better — what about something you’d normally get as takeout? We were enamored by Mark Bittman’s vegan Pad Thai recipe for Purple Carrot, so we’re offering you two options: His and Coscarelli’s. May the best vegan-gelist win.

Even though she never prepares meat for them, Coscarelli says all her friends are “super excited when I invite them over for dinner.” Imagine your friends being super excited to have you invite them over for anything! All you need to accompany a giant pan of noodles is a six-pack of beer, so don’t even worry about accompanying dishes. It’s Monday, after all.

This civic makeover thing is already doing wonders for your social life.

]]>Umbra 5-1 attack your meat habitCast a vote that really mattershttps://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/cast-a-vote-that-really-matters/
Sun, 30 Apr 2017 10:00:31 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366435You’ve likely heard a thousand and twenty times that voting in local and midterm elections is just as important as casting a ballot for president.

But, with all due respect, statistics clearly show that you, or at least most of your friends, are not doing it. Especially not at the local level. Less than one out of every five registered voters shows up for municipal elections.

And that’s crazy, because cities and states are responsible for many of the government functions that directly impact your life — like public transit, clean energy, and affordable housing, for instance. “If you care about green action, you need to be involved with municipal elections,” says Jen Tolentino, the director of policy and civic tech at Rock The Vote.

Voter turnout

60%

2016 presidential election

37%

2014 midterm election

15%

Average municipal election

Who’s voting?

37

Median American age

57

Median municipal voter age

The outcomes of local races are sometimes decided by a few dozen votes. And because the federal government probably won’t take action on anything remotely climate- or environment-related for the next four years (except to in a bad way), any environmental progress will happen at the local and state level. Your city council and mayor’s office just got even more important.

And the people you vote into those offices will be future candidates for governor, senator, or even the White House. “How do you build a political bench who will represent who we are as a generation?” Tolentino asks. “If you’re interested in building a political system with options who you do want to vote for, you need to focus on those running for local offices.”

Convinced? To actually get to the polling booth, you need to be able to answer these questions:

Did you move recently? You might not be registered anymore! Your registration definitely doesn’t follow you from state to state, and it probably doesn’t follow you from address to address. Find your local election office here. (Some even let you register online! None of them make you register by combat!)

Do you know what the voting requirements are in your state? Like, what do you have to bring to your polling place? Guess what — we’ve got 50 states, and each one has its own wacky rules. New voter identification laws are proliferating across the country, so learn them (this is a good resource from the National Conference of State Legislatures). Know your voting rights — and how to defend those of a fellow voter at your local polling place.

Do you know where to vote? Your polling place for local elections might be different from where you voted in the federal election (if you did).

]]>Umbra 4-30 vote localFight for school meals that make our kids and the planet healthierhttps://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/fight-for-school-meals-that-make-our-kids-and-the-planet-healthier/
Sat, 29 Apr 2017 10:00:55 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366563You probably haven’t thought about school food since you had to ask yourself if pizza is really a vegetable, and you likely put it out of your head for that very reason. But even if you’re childfree (a collective sense of political empowerment is the only thing I’m raising around here!) the much-maligned school lunch should really be on your radar.

Here are the ABCs of why caring about school food is so important to a better community and the planet — and the 123s of how you could make it better.

A. More than 30 million kids eat school meals every day, and two-thirds of them eat them for free or at a reduced price. Those subsidized breakfasts, lunches, and snacks might be the most important (or only) meals they eat all day.

B. Millions of daily meals add up to a massive impact on our agricultural system and the environment, so a simple, commonsense change could have a big impact.

C. Let’s think big picture here: Small humans learn how and what to eat in those cafeterias. Do we really want a system that props up unhealthy eating, with the attendant costs to our health, productivity, and planet?

3. It’s not just about blocking funding cuts or demanding more sustainable options. There are really innovative things happening across the nation, Maryland school food leader Lindsay Parsons points out. In Sitka, Alaska, for instance, a “stream-to-plate” program serves up fish education alongside locally caught seafood. Flavor stations at high schools let students experiment with adding spices and citrus to food instead of sodium. A horde of tiny farmers work on more than 7,000 school gardens across the nation. Poke around for ideas on what could work in your community — and figure out how you could use your time, expertise, or resources to help see it through.

Flavor stations and fresh salmon? That’s almost enough to make me want to endure the unparalleled torture of sixth grade all over again.

]]>Umbra 4-29 school food fightBank your money on something other than dirty energyhttps://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/bank-your-money-on-something-other-than-dirty-energy/
Fri, 28 Apr 2017 10:00:01 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366432There are sooo many reasons to pick a bank: No ATM charges! A branch EXACTLY halfway between your office and your favorite bar! They offered you a crate of live puppies for opening an account!

But where you put your hard-earned paycheck deserves a touch more consideration. Most major banks invest heavily in fossil fuel extraction and infrastructure — which means that if you put your cash in them, you’re enabling climate change and probably wreaking havoc on someone’s land or water.

Here’s how to put your income in time-out — and by time-out, we mean another financial institution that will take better care of it. (It’s actually pretty easy.)

Credit unions are usually better options than major banks, at least in terms of energy investments. Caleb Buchbinder is a campaign manager with DefundDAPL, an organization that encourages people to withdraw funds from banks that finance the Dakota Access Pipeline. He lays out exactly why his group prefers credit unions:

Profits are member-distributed across the board.

Their investments tend to be more local and stimulate business within communities.

By virtue of being member owned, there’s more opportunity for members to dictate the bank’s activity.

Here’s how to find out if your current bank is a big fossil fuel backer and what you can do to get your cash out of coal, oil, and gas.

1. Figure out what your bank is up to. The Rainforest Action Network gives a good rundown of how the major banks stand on fossil fuel funding. Spoiler: They’re all pretty bad.

2. Open an account with your new financial institution of choice.DefundDAPL and BankLocal both have pretty helpful resources for finding your next banking institution — credit union or otherwise.

3. Remember to order new checks, a new debit card, and a credit card. This is so fun! It’s like the hot new outfit you buy to deal with a breakup, but instead of feeding the insatiable capitalist beast of the fashion industry, you’re fighting climate change!

4. Make sure your employer — and any organization that automatically withdraws from your bank account — has your new account information. With regard to the latter, make sure you actually have funds in the new account before withdrawals begin.

5. Now, the fun part: Dumping your current bank!

Do you ever dream of quitting your job by causing a massive scene? Congratulations — you can live out that fantasy in the lobby of your old bank with little to no repercussions! Ideally you want to come prepared with your best “I’d like to speak to the bank manager” request, a non-ranty statement explaining that you want to close your account (that’s the important part!), and why you’re leaving the bank.

If you’re feeling extra-ambitious (and sassy!), bring a written letter to leave with the manager reiterating your points.

And on your way out, Buchbinder advises, this is your chance to get other bank patrons on board with you: “If you’re inclined to make a statement in the bank in a good way, let the other customers there know why you’re making that choice and exercise your free speech.” Try not to come come off like a lunatic. It’s not the best way to get others to follow your lead.

Money plays a stronger role in environmental decision-making than almost anything else, so it seems ridiculous not to ensure that your money reflects your values. As Vanessa Green (REAL NAME!) of DivestInvest puts it: “Consider the magnitude of thought, emotion, and energy people put into generating, keeping, and using their money to live a good life — that’s how essential it is to take responsibility for where your money sits.”

]]>Umbra Drop Dirty MoneyBreak your newsfeed addiction with better online habitshttps://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/break-your-newsfeed-addiction-with-better-online-habits/
Thu, 27 Apr 2017 10:00:53 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366526These days, a lot of folks are asking Umbra how to balance social media (and all the good it can do) with the need for release from a stress-inducing 24-7 stream of outrageous tweets.

Whenever I have a medical problem — anxiety is a medical problem! — I consult the internet which is why I turned to online doctor James Hamblin. NO! He’s a real doctor — and also The Atlantic’s health editor and author of If Our Bodies Could Talk.

The worst thing you can do, Hamblin told me, is to “just be sitting idly by, stewing, doing nothing, consuming information constantly.” But it’s also unhealthy (from a civic standpoint, certainly) to ignore your newsfeed entirely and divorce yourself from the world.

Here’s how Hamblin suggests you can achieve that much-needed Facebook/life balance.

Hiding out in the woods is actually not a good option. It’s a unique kind of privilege, Hamblin notes, to choose to distance yourself from the news cycle. “It’s like if there was a meteor bearing down on Earth, and you said, ‘You know, I’m just gonna go on a digital detox, and not think about the meteor.’” You have to confront the meteor at some point — especially if you are in a position to use your voice to support people most directly in the meteor’s path.

Real-life interaction is almost always better than the internet kind. A lot of social media posting is akin to shouting into the void. If you know just one person who is disengaged or unaware of what’s happening, it’s significantly more useful to have a direct conversation with him or her than to type-yell into a Twitter thread, Hamblin says.

The real world — no matter how terrible it seems! — will actually make you feel better. Remember when we started this whole rigmarole and I encouraged you to find your cause? It would be good to do that now, if you haven’t already. You’ll feel most engaged and most fulfilled by committing some time to said cause instead of feed-scrolling. There are proven, tangible health benefits to feeling that you’ve got a purpose. Donating your time and money is a very productive form of self care, it turns out.

Get a good bedtime ritual. “I’m a big advocate of sleep. Me and Arianna Huffington,” says Hamblin. Me too, James! I am always asleep. I’m asleep right now, writing this! Anyway, before you knock out for the night, it’s far healthier to take time to read a book, or to reflect on your interactions and conversations throughout the day with real live humans, than to refresh Reddit from the comfort of your sheets. [UMBRA TIP: Jeez, don’t bring Reddit into your bed under any circumstances.] Think about stepping away from the screen at least an hour before bed.

How do you know when you’ve achieved information equilibrium? Overwhelmed by news-related anxiety = bad. No sense of purpose = also bad, furthermore, what are you doing? Be informed enough that you know what you’re fighting, but don’t bury yourself under the weight of a thousand newsfeeds.

If you can’t depend on your own willpower, there are [actually] apps for that. If you do need a break from social media, you can use an app to block certain websites for hours or even a day. You’ll have to find the right one for your device, but I’ve heard good things about Moment or Self Control.

]]>Umbra 4-27 go offlineThe best way to fight city hall: Make friends therehttps://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/the-best-way-to-fight-city-hall-make-friends-there/
Wed, 26 Apr 2017 10:00:59 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366423Does anything rev the proverbial engine more than local politics? The whisper of a transit budget proposal. The heat of a public comment period. The downright siren call of a freshly printed city council agenda. Get me a bucket of ice …

… for the red-hot engines of DEMOCRACY! Getting involved in local governance is titillating for a bunch of reasons. You’ll better understand how your local political system works; you might actually get your local politicians to listen to you; and if you can’t, you know who to campaign against in the next election cycle.

Flex your power and get your voice heard with this advice.

Diving in is easy

Your first move: Google your city’s website. Hot! It probably has an events calendar, which will include public committee and commission meetings. If you want to go old-school, pick up your local newspaper for dates and times. Then show up to the meetings that look interesting.

Find contact info for your elected officials, like the mayor and city council members, on the city’s website. Facebook put a long, fruitful career of social media stalking facilitation to use by listing your local officials, and their digits, in its newish Town Hall feature.

Your voice — and vote — can have an epic influence

“Nothing scares a politician more than the prospect of losing,” says Nathaniel Stinnett, founder of the Environmental Voter Project. Local officials will take your calls and value your opinions, because a few votes can make a difference in local races. And a well-researched letter-to-the-editor can sway more than a handful of votes.

Local government has more power than you think

State and city legislators often make the kinds of big, lasting choices that affect the things you’re most riled up about — like preserving open space and deciding whether to shift to clean energy. “So many of those decisions are made locally,” says John Reuter of the League of Conservation Voters.

Example: In Gwinnett County, Georgia, the county commission may put a measure on the 2018 ballot to dramatically expand local public transit, either by connecting with nearby Atlanta’s mass-transit system, or by expanding what Gwinnett has already got, levying an additional sales tax of up to 1 percent.

In the past, “the county commission has dug its heels in and refused to put it on the ballot,” says Brionté McCorkle, assistant director of the Sierra Club’s Georgia Chapter and a candidate for the Atlanta City Council. But this summer and fall, local residents will have a chance to change that. They can attend an upcoming series of public meetings to let local politicians know what kinds of transit they want, where transit hubs should be, and whether to join Atlanta’s system, McCorkle says. Meetings like these are just one way to fight for a future that doesn’t suck, right in the place you live.

]]>Umbra 4-26 fight city hallLearn how your local utility can be greener! (With treats.)https://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/learn-how-your-local-utility-can-be-greener-with-treats/
Tue, 25 Apr 2017 10:00:47 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366420To fight climate change, we need to reform the energy sector. Electricity (basically, burning coal at power plants) produces an estimated 30 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. So it’s crucial for your local utility to adopt clean energy — or make it easier for you to do so, like through solar panels on your roof.

Change is hard! And utilities are super boring! Humans are eternally resistant to both hard and boring things. But the first step to much-needed energy reform in your community, according to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s John Farrell, is to figure out the options for your own household.

Even if you don’t own property, checking out the options available to property owners is valuable. Looking into the process, costs, and tax incentives for installing clean energy is a way to figure out the barriers and opportunities.

Wow — I’m actually asleep! Are you? Well, wake up to these sweet incentives to talk to your energy utility.

CHARACTERS: You, an account executive at your local electric utility (or renewable energy specialist, if such a position exists), a local solar panel installer (Google that one, babe), and a local home energy auditor.

ACTION: You’re having three phone conversations. Against your best Mean Girls instincts, do not do this as a conference call.

Here’s why you want to talk to each of those folks: It’s always good to get a variety of opinions, and each one has a different area of expertise. You want to get a sense of which entities will be encouraging of and/or resistant to a change in utilities.

HERE ARE YOUR LINES:

“I’m interested in powering my home with more renewable energy. What are my options?”

“What kind of tax incentives for solar power are available to me?”

“How does the city/utility do net metering?” (That’s when you get money credited to you for solar energy that your home gives to the grid.)

“What are the community solar options around these parts? Do they exist?”

“What do you consider the greatest obstacle to getting greener energy sources in this [city, town, etc.]?”

Did you just have to take a nap halfway through reading those questions? Good news. After each conversation, congratulate yourself on learning about something extremely boring but useful by eating a clementine, or twenty-seven Ruffles, or six spicy pickles. And through the powers of Pavlovian conditioning, you might no longer think it’s boring!

SURPRISE: Your work here isn’t done! Now you have a rough idea of a topic to discuss with a city councilmember. For example, you could ask tough questions about why your city has no community solar option! Remember to bring snacks, and you’ll find it pretty easy to make friends that will back you up on those questions.

]]>Umbra Green Your Power SourcesStill feel cynical and paralyzed? Let’s talk.https://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/still-feel-cynical-and-paralyzed-lets-talk/
Mon, 24 Apr 2017 10:00:56 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366426Time to sit down and put on our “Let’s Be Honest With Each Other, Because What The Hell Else Are We Here For” hats. (It’s a very large hat — it’s fine.)

Activism, political engagement, and community building require some character traits that many people find unbearable: Earnestness! Commitment! The ability to talk to other people about serious matters! The ability to talk to other people, period!

Which is why I can anticipate your aversions: I don’t think I can make a difference against such powerful forces; being snarky and disengaged keeps me sane; I’m shy; I’m too self-conscious to embrace a cause; my foot hurts.

Let’s address each of these in turn to overcome paralysis and cynicism. And look, I’m no Emma Goldman, so I talked to L.A. Kauffman, veteran activist and protest historian, and Eva Cardenas, a program coordinator with The Ruckus Society, to provide the following advice.

I don’t think I can make a difference against such powerful forces

When so many mind-boggling, enormous things are falling apart, it can be wildly tempting to give up and go to bed forever. Kauffman says: Read about movements that have worked before, and the individuals involved. Civil rights. AIDS activism. Abortion. Women’s suffrage. They didn’t happen without the people showing up to make them happen, and each one of those people probably overcame a powerful urge to stay in bed.

Being snarky and disengaged keeps me sane

Direct all your cynicism and disparagement toward those in power who are screwing things up, Kauffman advises. Regarding the desire to be detached: “Nobody looks back at the great conflicts of history and admires the people who stood on the sidelines,” Kauffman says.

I’m shy

Cardenas, in eight years of organizing, has run into a lot of self-identifying “shy people.” So many of them, she says, have blossomed and come into their own through involvement with activist movements. “It’s not just people who are risking arrest who have a place,” she says. “From the person who answers the phones to the person who’s delivering water, there are so many ways to be involved. Bring whatever you think you can offer — even if it’s baking cookies! Nobody minds cookies.”

I’m too self-conscious to embrace a cause

No one looks at the world and thinks: “Yes, this is all good. Wouldn’t change a thing.” Have you ever read a Yelp review of a Chili’s? We can’t even stay calm about fast-casual restaurants. Which is why Cardenas recommends asking yourself, “What would I like to see in the world?” And then: “Work toward that — because it really just takes caring about issues and standing up for things.”

My foot hurts

If you’re still making excuses (look, I can even give you very specific shoe recommendations), listen to Cardenas’ advice: “Be gentle with yourself — understand you might not know everything, and that is OK. Be comfortable with privilege, understand what it is — it’s not a bad thing, when we are aware and know how to use it, that that’s actually the best way to push for liberation. And question the hell out of things.”

]]>Umbra Ditch ExcusesHand out good karma with a gift to the right green grouphttps://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/hand-out-good-karma-with-a-gift-to-the-right-green-group/
Sun, 23 Apr 2017 10:00:07 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366259Birthdays and holidays are the Patron Days of Stuff. You know you have to give something, because you’re not a barn-denizen. But you put it off and then at the very last minute, your friend Michael ends up with a box set of the ABBA discography because you once got drunk together and went to see Mamma Mia.

Don’t do that to Michael. Instead: Make a charitable donation in his name! Make it monthly, if you’re feeling crazy! But to which organization?

We’re talking about green organizations, because, well, that’s what we’re doing here. But even within that sphere, this is a tough question, because green orgs are fighting lots of different battles — and at different levels of effectiveness. It really comes down to your gift recipient’s favorite cause.

Is your friend most interested in forests? Pollinators? Wildlife? Or global warming? Environmental groups have different strategies. Greenpeace and Sierra Club are both resisting dirty moves by the Trump administration, but Greenpeace is also tackling Exxon while challenging the oil and gas industries; over at Sierra Club, they’re all about letting go of coal and divesting from fossil fuels while promoting clean energy. Check in with your organization-of-choice and ask about their priorities today.

Fun fact: You can even shop local with your charitable giving. John Reuter with the League of Conservation Voters advises that it’s great to keep giving money to the national causes, but “if you want to take local action, find local groups, become monthly donors.” Lots of national nonprofits have chapters across the country that deal with problems specific to your area. And don’t forget local nonprofits that were built with your communities and issues in mind. You can find environmental justice groups and other organizations through a quick search of online news stories, or through online databases like the Encyclopedia of Associations at your local public library.

Even if you find the right cause, you still need to do your homework to know who’s who — they’re not all good. Mother Jones laid out a guide for nonprofits and, unfortunately, there are plenty of green-sounding groups out there that actually do more harm than good. The Institute for Cetacean Research might sound like a wholesome den of whale science — but in fact, it supports Japanese whaling.

After you research a few nonprofits, see how they stack up on Guidestar. “Platinum” organizations in Guidestar’s unbiased database have clear metrics to evaluate their own success — that’s something you really want if you’re giving them money to, you know, achieve those successes. You can also see how your groups-of-choice perform on Charity Navigator. The site awards public charities up to four stars, based on their financial health, accountability, and results.

Even with research, it’s can still be a crapshoot when it comes to where your money will go the furthest: some organizations are more transparent than others. According to Audubon’s media team, for example, 82 percent of donations go to its conservation programs, protecting and expanding bird habitat and education. Other groups don’t give those numbers.

Remember: Presents are ultimately an alternative fuel for the capitalist machine that got us into this mess to begin with! Even if you decide against this whole charitable donation thing, make a card and a dinner instead of buying crap. Seriously.

]]>Umbra 4-15 give greenDoth protest too much? Naw. Here’s how to do it like a prohttps://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/protest-like-a-pro-make-todays-march-for-science-really-matter/
Sat, 22 Apr 2017 10:00:14 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366257In the wake of Trump’s inauguration, the act of protesting became de rigueur so quickly that it took about 45 seconds for a multibillion-dollar soda brand to coopt it. Anyone who survived Kendall Jenner’s blessedly short-lived stint as a #wokebae may have felt, well, disillusioned about the meaning or effectiveness of protests.

We’ve been over this: You can’t let that get you down! Protesting is an important part of civic engagement because it creates visibility around a given issue. Plus, it can be cathartic: “I like to say that if you’re angry, understand that that’s meaningful and valid — and use that as a tool,” says Kelley Robinson of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund (which certainly has a lot to be angry about these days).

Here’s how to raise visibility, channel your political rage (hey, it’s better than apathy), and protest in a way that will keep you engaged after you lose your sign on the bus. (You’re going to lose your sign on the bus.)

Talk to new people

What’s the result of a few hundred thousand people storming the streets? By itself, not much, according to Emily Johnston, cofounder of 350 Seattle, the Seattle chapter of the climate action organization 350.org. But you can’t build a movement by yourself, so it’s important to meet people who care about the same things.

That kind of collective action helped block Keystone XL under President Obama and push the $15 minimum wage to the top of municipal agendas across the country. But it only works if you actually continue to be involved after the protest itself — volunteering with a group you met there, supporting a candidate you learned about, etc.

Bring the sass (artistically)

If there’s not a genius sign in the Instagram, was it even a protest? If you don’t have a natural knack for slogans, you can get help with the whole genius part at the Signs for Science website, which offers plenty of good options and expert assistance for designing your own

Activist and historian L.A. Kauffman recommends the DIY approach, though: You’ll feel more connected to what you’re doing with your own message, and variety creates a more visually striking protest. Plus, your ideas are probably more clever than you think they are.

Pack like you’re going on a long walk

Because really, that’s what you’re doing. Which is to say: Charge your phone, wear comfortable shoes, carry snacks, bring a poncho. You’ve got to stay dry and comfortable if you want to stay focused. No one has ever regretted a pocketful of cashews (don’t actually put them in your pocket, maybe) and a reusable water bottle.

As for your phone, it’s crucial to have compelling photo documentation to prove to the rest of the world that, yes, this many people are pissed off. And if things get rowdy, you’ll want to record any police response and contact the friends you brought to the protest. Speaking of which …

Bring friends

A good wingman goes a long way, and groups make it easier to meet new people. (Heck, they even made a dating app on that premise.) You feel less awkward, and you’re almost guaranteed to have a better time. BUT …

If you don’t have a good time, stick with it

It’s a protest, not a pedicure. “Don’t be such a fragile flower that you go to a protest, feel uncomfortable, and don’t try anything again,” Johnston says. “Just find what works for you with a group of people you like. People come into these movements because they’re angry or terrified about something that’s going on. But they stay in the movements because of the other people.”

And that’s really why I harp on the important social aspect of civic engagement: If you don’t find allies, you’re just not going to do it. That was the overwhelming theme I found across interviews for this guide.

So get together a crew and get outside! Here’s the info for every satellite march going on around the world. The main event is in Washington, D.C. — if you happen to be there, don’t forget to say hi to one of your reps!

]]>Umbra4-22 protest like a proAre you going to the March for Science? Let us know.https://grist.org/briefly/are-you-going-to-the-march-for-science-let-us-know/
Fri, 21 Apr 2017 20:43:22 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=news-brief&p=367139Oh no — you forgot about Earth Day again. Every year. Every year this happens! Luckily, someone else made plans for you, so you don’t have to cobble together a last-minute vegan brunch or fern-planting party or something.

The point of showing up is to prove that a critical mass of people are upset (to put it mildly) that our political administration willfully ignores the collective advice of scientists around the world. The advice being: Can you just stop extracting fossil fuels to prevent the demise of the human race, please, no seriously, we’ve been over this a thousand times.

Anyway — now that you’re going, send us your photos, and we’ll share them on Grist’s Twitter. Just @ us.

And here’s some good reading for the bus ride to the march: Andrew Jewett in the Atlantic explains what needs to be done beyond marching for science. (Hint: It involves addressing the social structures that dictate how scientific policies are applied.)

]]>teach-youth-scienceRead more than dead white menhttps://grist.org/guides/umbra-apathy-detox/this-earth-day-read-more-than-dead-white-men/
Fri, 21 Apr 2017 10:00:00 +0000http://grist.org/?post_type=guide-post&p=366246The standard environmental canon includes authors who have a lot in common: Leopold, Emerson, Thoreau, Muir, Abbey. And they were brilliant, but the way they saw nature — as something adjacent to human life, rather than integral to it — is a super Western view.

But it’s time to see the bigger picture. The places we live in are part of nature, too, says New School scholar Mindy Fullilove — shaped by humans through race, class, slavery, colonialism, and imperialism. New idea? Old news? Regardless, we can all benefit from a broader perspective — and from talking about it.

Reading in a book club or group will challenge you in different ways than reading alone, says racial justice expert Dorinda Carter Andrews of Michigan State University. “Whenever you’re talking about issues of fairness,” she says, “you can have some of those conversations internally with yourself. But it really takes reflective dialogue with other people.”

I talked to environmental justice leaders and readers to pull together a pile of books and essays to get you started.

Why you should read it: Cronon takes aim at the modern idea of wilderness as an invention of American and European history. Baptista usually starts her students with this one. Bonus: It’s free to read online.

Why you should read it: Phillips argues that people of color and progressive whites are a growing majority, and lays out the political implications. Smith says it is “seminal … for anyone who cares about making change in America today.”

Why you should read it: This book looks at connections between policy and urban decay in 1970s New York through an ecologist’s lens. “We use the terms ‘natural’ and ‘built environment’ as if those are two separate things,” Fullilove says. “They’re not.”

Why you should read it: If you’re interested in justice in cities, Baptista recommends Pulido as “a geographer who talks about white privilege and how urban planning’s history has led to environmental injustices today.”

We’ve said it before: Too many discussions of environmentalism miss the big picture. If you — or your friends — are resistant to confronting the role that things like racism play in everything from climate change to sustainable environments, you should listen to these perspectives.

And by listen, I mean read. It’s great because everyone has to be quiet and the salient points get across, too.